“It’s very important,” Stenzel said. “Call your state legislators, the senator and the governor.”

Both Stenzel and Superintendent Erv Weischedel signed a letter urging state leaders to use their influence to pass a budget and offer the district some financial relief. The letter was sent to Rendell earlier this week, along with Sen. Elder Vogel and state Reps. Jim Christiana, Rob Matzie and Jaret Gibbons.

District officials say 47 percent of Ambridge Area’s budget is covered by state funding. In addition, 43 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch. Officials estimate the district will run out of money on or about Nov. 1 and will be unable to function.

Board member Brian Padgett said the state hasn’t even offered districts stopgap measures such as 0 percent loans until a budget is passed.

To complicate matters, Ambridge Area has a $3.786 million debt payment due on Nov. 1 and owes about $83.1 million total debt for construction projects that were approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Stenzel said a tax anticipation loan for $1.875 million was already taken out by the district. Approximately $1 million was also cut from the recent budget so as not to burden aging and distressed taxpayers with a tax increase, he said.

“Ambridge Area School District is in dire need of help,” the letter states.

Larissa Theodore can be reached online at ltheodore@timesonline.com.

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